‘Black Panther’ star Letitia Wright goes on defense after sharing anti-vax video
“Black Panther” actress Letitia Wright is defending herself after she drew sharp criticism for sharing a video spreading conspiracy theories and misinformation about vaccines and COVID-19.
On Thursday night, Wright dismissed Twitter users who slammed her for posting a clip titled “COVID-19 Vaccine, Should We Take It?” from Light London Church leader Tomi Arayomi’s YouTube channel, “On the Table.”
The 69-minute video — which has since been removed from YouTube and Wright’s Twitter feed — sees Arayomi making transphobic remarks, stating several unfounded claims blaming China for the pandemic, downplaying the threat of climate change and discouraging people from getting vaccinated for the flu and COVID-19.
Actor Chadwick Boseman, who played real-life icons Jackie Robinson and James Brown before finding fame as the regal “Black Panther” in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has died of cancer.
To be clear: Incoming COVID-19 vaccines developed by pharmaceutical giants Pfizer and Moderna are backed by infectious disease experts and more than 90% effective, according to data collected from clinical trials.
“[I]f you don’t conform to popular opinions. but ask questions and think for yourself....you get cancelled,” Wright tweeted Thursday, along with a crying-laughing emoji, in flippant response to the backlash.
The 27-year-old actress, best known for playing tech whiz Princess Shuri of Wakanda in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, doubled down — but shifted her tone — Friday in a follow-up tweet stressing that she never intended “to hurt anyone.”
“[M]y ONLY intention of posting the video was it raised my concerns with what the vaccine contains and what we are putting in our bodies,” she added. “Nothing else.”
Among the many holding Wright accountable on social media are “Bad Feminist” author Roxane Gay and actor Don Cheadle, who stars alongside Wright in the MCU as James Rhodes, a.k.a. War Machine.
“Thinking for yourself doesn’t mean you’re right. And you aren’t cancelled. But damn,” Gay tweeted. “Promoting anti-vaccine propaganda and shrouding it in intellectual curiosity is asinine. And dangerous.”
“[J]esus... just scrolled through,” Cheadle wrote after watching the clip. “hot garbage. every time i stopped and listened, he and everything he said sounded crazy and [messed up]. i would never defend anybody posting this. but i still won’t throw her away over it. the rest i’ll take off twitter. had no idea.”
The biggest entertainment stories
Get our big stories about Hollywood, film, television, music, arts, culture and more right in your inbox as soon as they publish.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
